MechWar '77, subtitled "Tactical Armored Combat in the 1970s", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates hypothetical tank combat in the mid-1970s between various adversaries, using the same rules system as the previously published Panzer '44 .
MechWar '77 is a two-player wargame that comes with a variety of hypothetical scenarios set in the 1970s. Most of the scenarios pit NATO against the Warsaw Pact in West Germany between the east and west arms of the Main River, but one scenario is set in the Yom Kippur War, and one features a border clash between the Soviet Union and China. [1] Players are encouraged to create their own scenarios, and for that purpose, British and West German units are included among the die-cut counters. In addition, the playing map is interchangeable with that used in Panzer '44. [2]
The "flatpack" edition includes:
In the "Designer's Edition", packaged in a larger bookshelf box, the map was mounted. [1]
MechWar '77 uses the same game system as the previously published Panzer '44, the only difference being the addition of 1970s-era battle technology, including helicopters and smoke grenades. Movement uses the traditional "I Go, You Go" system of alternating turns, but once both players have moved units, combat is simultaneous. [2]
In 1974, Jim Dunnigan developed Panzer '44, a tank combat wargame set in World War II. The previous year, Dunnigan had designed another tank combat game, Kampfpanzer , that used a simultaneous movement and combat system called "SiMove". Players and critics both found the system cumbersome because it required players to note the exact hexes every unit moved through during each turn. [3] For Panzer '44, Dunnigan threw out the SiMove system and used a more traditional alternating movement system, but kept the simultaneous combat. The following year, Dunnigan updated Panzer 44 to a modern setting, titling the game MechWar '77. The game was released in two different packages with graphic design by Redmond A. Simonsen: SPI's traditional "flatbox" with integrated counter tray, and a "Designer's Edition" in a larger bookshelf box. [4]
MechWar '77 proved relatively popular, debuting at No. 2 on SPI's Top Ten Bestsellers list as soon as it was released, and staying in the Top Ten for the next six months. [5]
In 1979, Mark Herman provided many more new scenarios and an updated rules system for the sequel, MechWar 2. [6]
In the December 1975 edition of Airfix Magazine , Bruce Quarrie commented that "The game lends itself well to the creation of further scenarios by the players." He noted the simplicity of the rules system compared to other wargames of the time, saying, "The rules are kept to a minimum, consistent with some degree of realism, and regular collectors of these games will find no innovations (do we hear sighs of relief?)." Quarrie concluded, "A good game and a must for armour enthusiasts." [2]
In a 1976 poll conducted by SPI to determine the most popular wargames in North American, MechWar '77 placed a respectable 44th out of 202 games. [7]
In Issue 11 of the British wargaming magazine Phoenix , Mike Doe compared MechWar '77 to miniatures wargaming, and found that MechWar '77 enjoyed two major advantages: "battles are fought over a larger area, allowing more opportunity for manoeuvre, and secondly very little bookkeeping is required." However, he felt that traditional miniatures system of building units by point system was better because both opponents were unaware of what they would be facing, whereas the fixed scenarios of board wargaming meant that opponents know exactly what forces they will be facing. [8]
In the 1977 book The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming , Nicholas Palmer complimented the "Large, attractive map" and noted that "Movement is sequential but combat simultaneous, compromising between playability and realism."" [7]
In The Guide to Simulations/Games for Education and Training, Martin Campion noted "This game is a companion to Panzer '44 — the two have nearly identical rules, the differences due mainly to the differences in weapons." [9]
In the 1980 book The Complete Book of Wargames , game designer Jon Freeman commented, "MechWar '77 demonstrates the lethality of modern weaponry in dramatic fashion." He warned that "Tactical finesse becomes important, as direct actions tend to result in great slaughter for the impetuous." Freeman had issues with the written firing plots "and the same stupid command control rules of [SPI's Panzer '44 ]" Freeman gave this game an Overall Evaluation of "Good", concluding, "It can be fun for armor buffs." [10]
PanzerBlitz is a tactical-scale board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1970 that simulates armored combat set on the Eastern Front of World War II. The game, which was the most popular board wargame of the 1970s, is notable for being the first true board-based tactical-level, commercially available conflict simulation wargame. It also pioneered several concepts that would become industry standards.
Tactical wargames are a type of wargame that models military conflict at a tactical level, i.e. units range from individual vehicles and squads to platoons or companies. These units are rated based on types and ranges of individual weaponry. The first tactical wargames were played as miniatures, extended to board games, and they are now also enjoyed as video games.
Invasion: America, subtitled "Death Throes of the Superpower", is a near-future board wargame published by SPI in 1976 that simulates a hypothetical coordinated attack on North America by various factions.
War in Europe is a grand strategic "monster" board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that attempts to simulate the entirety of the European theatre of World War II from 1939 to 1945. One of the largest wargames ever produced, War in Europe features 4000 counters, four rulebooks, and nine maps that when placed together cover an area of 38.5 ft2. The game is nominally a three-player game, but each side can be represented by teams of players. SPI estimated the full game would take at least 180 hours.
StarForce: Alpha Centauri, subtitled "Interstellar Conflict in the 25th Century", is a science fiction board game published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1974. It was the first mass-market science fiction board wargame, and was a best-seller for SPI.
Sorcerer, subtitled "The Game of Magical Conflict", is a fantasy board wargame for 1–5 players published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates magical combat.
Firefight: Modern U.S. and Soviet Small Unit Tactics is a tactical wargame originally published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that hypothesizes combat between small units of American and Soviet forces in West Germany in the 1970s.
The American Civil War: 1861–1865 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1974 that is a strategic simulation of the American Civil War.
Combined Arms, subtitled "Combat Operations in the 20th Century", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1974 that simulates various combat engagements in the mid-twentieth century
The Fast Carriers, subtitled "Air-Sea Operations, 1941–77" is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates naval combat involving aircraft carriers from 1941 to the mid-1970s.
KampfPanzer: Armored Combat, 1937–40 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1973 that simulates the first battles involving battle tanks.
Lost Battles: Operational Combat in Russia is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1971 that simulates hypothetical combat situations set in the Soviet Union during World War II.
Napoleon at War, subtitled "Four Battles", is a collection of four board wargames published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates various battles fought by Napoleon.
Bloody Ridge, subtitled "Turning Point on Guadalcanal, September 1942", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Guadalcanal Campaign during World War II. The game was originally published as part of the Island War: Four Pacific Battles "quadrigame" — a gamebox containing four games simulating four separate battles that all use the same rules. Bloody Ridge was also published as an individual "folio game."
Thirty Years War, subtitled "Four Battles", is a "quadrigame" — four separate board wargames packaged in one box that use a common set of rules — published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976. The four games simulate different battles during the Thirty Years' War, and were sold individually as well as in the quadrigame format. Some of the games were well received by critics, but overall, the quadrigame did not sell well.
Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1974 that simulates naval combat in the 18th and 19th century Age of Sail.
Jena-Auerstadt: The Battle for Prussia is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the twin battles of Jena and Auerstadt in October 1806. It was one of four games that were part of the "quadrigame" titled Napoleon at War, but it was also released as an individual "folio game" packaged in a shrinkwrapped cardstock folio. Jena-Auerstadt was rated highly in a 1976 poll of favorite wargames, but critics questioned whether its simplicity was capable of simulating a complicated two-part battle.
Desert War: Tactical Warfare in North Africa is a board wargame published in 1973 by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) that simulates combat in North Africa during World War II..
Panzer '44: Tactical Combat in Western Europe, 1944–45 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates historical tank combat during World War II.
Sinai: The Arab-Israeli Wars – '56, '67 and '73 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1973 that simulates three conflicts in the Middle East: The 1956 Suez Crisis, the 1967 Six-Day War, and the just-completed 1973 Yom Kippur War. The staff of SPI had been developing a wargame simulating a hypothetical Middle East conflict when war broke out in October 1973. Using newspaper and television reports, SPI found that their envisioned simulation was not accurate, and quickly redeveloped the game, releasing it only weeks after a ceasefire had been signed. The game proved very popular, and remained a best-seller for SPI during the 1970s.